Growth · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to Smart People Should Build Things; Conversation with Martin Keen, Founder & CEO of Focal Upright Furniture

from designing shoes to chairs—standing isn't the answer

Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Smart People Should Build Things; Conversation with Martin Keen, Founder & CEO of Focal Upright Furniture launched in 2016; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1
Building the Future Show - Episode 145 with Martin Keen▲3
Martin is Designer, Founder & CEO at Focal Upright Furniture
2017 · its alternatives →
2
Smart People Should Build Things: Wiley Cerilli, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Good Uncle▲58
On seeing windows in a windowless building
2016 · its alternatives →
3
Smart People Should Build Things: Erik Schreter, Co-Founder & CEO of Venwise▲67
On building support groups for founders
2016 · its alternatives →
4
Smart People Should Build Things - Jon Stein, Founder & CEO of Betterment▲63
Technology to transform our relationship with our finances
2016 · its alternatives →
5
Smart People Should Build Things: Nancy Lublin, Founder & CEO of Crisis Text Line▲64
Tech companies solving problems through products, not people
2016 · its alternatives →
6
Smart People Should Build Things: Christine Hunsicker, CEO at Gwynnie Bee▲64
On disrupting the apparel industry in an untapped market
2016 · its alternatives →
7
Smart People Should Build Things: Ben Young and Frederick Kukelhaus, Co-Founders of Hugo & Hoby▲61
On bringing furniture design & manufacturing back home
2016 · its alternatives →
8
Smart People Should Build Things: Ben Uyeda, Co-Founder of Zero Energy Design & HomeMade Modern▲60
On building a thoughtful and personally-driven career
2016 · its alternatives →
9
Smart People Should Build Things: Glen Coates, CEO & Founder of Handshake▲59
On building a company w 1 day of business school education
2016 · its alternatives →
10
Smart People Should Build Things - Dave Finocchio, Co-Founder & CEO of Bleacher Report▲98
On giving sports fans what they want
2016 · its alternatives →
11
Archelis▲125
A wearable chair
2016 · its alternatives →
12
Dwell▲267
A social network for the design-obsessed
2016 · its alternatives →
13
Smart People Should Build Things: Toby Hervey, General Manager & Founding Team Member at Pager▲54
On the value of persistence
2016 · its alternatives →
14
Smart People Should Build Things: Dan Bloom, Co-Founder of Slope and 2012 VFA Fellow▲57
On joining the software big leagues
2017 · its alternatives →
15
The DesignBetter.Co Podcast, from InVision▲210
Stories and insights from the world’s best design leaders
2017 · its alternatives →
16
SaaS Open Mic: David Okuniev, Founder of Typeform on Human Experience▲77
And how Typeform is making things "a little more human".
2016 · its alternatives →
17
Whoa Board▲82
Create motion sensitive smart clothes
2016 · its alternatives →
18
Scaling a Design Team - 1: Billy Kiely, VP Product at Invision▲85
New podcast from HackingUI.com
2015 · its alternatives →
19
Smart People Should Build Things: Charlie Kroll & Sallie Krawcheck, Co-Founders of Ellevest▲61
On the high cost of the gender investing gap
2017 · its alternatives →
20
Idea Pioneering 1.01▲158
A practical guide on generating hellishly good ideas.
2020 · its alternatives →
21
Product People ▲239
Podcast focused on great products and their makers
2014 · its alternatives →
22
Smart People Should Build Things: Megan O'Connor and Sam Gimbel, Co-Founders of Clark▲56
On side hustles and disrupting private education
2017 · its alternatives →
23
Flippr▲104
The ironing board of the future
2016 · its alternatives →
24
Upright▲155
The best way to grow a marketplace startup 🐓🥚
2017 · its alternatives →

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Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →